The present invention relates generally to bale forming devices and, more specifically, to a device for use in wrapping strapping material around the girth of a bale.
For numerous applications, bale tie wires are considered to be the strapping material of choice for reasons of economy. Typically, the bale tie wires are applied manually about the girth of the pressed material forming the bale in an operation requiring at least two press operators. Wires are first manually inserted over the top of the pressed material through channels in the upper platen by one of two press operators. The second press operator on the opposite side of the press, would grasp the leading end of the bale tie wire as it protruded from the opposite side of the platen channel and would then redirect and insert the wire in a channel of the lower platen, beneath the pressed material, and push the wire forward through the lower channel. The first press operator would receive the end of the lower bale tie wire as it protruded through the channel of the lower platen. The first operator would then secure the end of the bale wire left protruding from the upper platen channel with the end now protruding from the lower platen onto each other to form a joint on the front side of the pressed material. Bales are usually secured by a number of bale tie wires; thus, the manual operation would be repeated numerous times for just one bale.
The standard method of forming bales, requiring two operators manually handling the strapping materials, is not efficient in its utilization of manpower or time. Due to inherently high labor costs considerable interest has been generated in eliminating unnecessary personnel and reducing the time needed to bale materials.